UK surname

Nissim

A surname of Hebrew origin meaning "miracles" or "wonders".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnet and Camden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nissim is 115 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

2011

115 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Map

Nissim surname distribution map

The map shows where the Nissim surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Nissim surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Nissim over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year	Period	Count	Rank
1891	historical	4	#34,098
1901	historical	5	#33,728
1911	historical	14	#32,045
1997	modern	91	#28,215
1998	modern	101	#27,479
1999	modern	110	#26,315
2000	modern	108	#26,549
2001	modern	103	#26,927
2002	modern	102	#27,596
2003	modern	111	#26,091
2004	modern	111	#26,293
2005	modern	99	#28,177
2006	modern	96	#28,946
2007	modern	100	#28,669
2008	modern	99	#29,181
2009	modern	103	#29,127
2010	modern	111	#28,509
2011	modern	115	#27,634
2012	modern	103	#29,733
2013	modern	105	#29,916
2014	modern	105	#30,204
2015	modern	100	#31,005
2016	modern	103	#30,515

Geography

Where Nissims are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnet and Camden. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank	Parish	Area
1	No data	No data

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Barnet 032	Barnet
2	Barnet 025	Barnet
3	Barnet 031	Barnet
4	Barnet 034	Barnet
5	Camden 015	Camden

Forenames

First names often paired with Nissim

These lists show first names that appear often with the Nissim surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Tamar Leigh Natalie Jenai Carol Laura Rita Ruth Miriam Anne

Recent male names

Gary Mayer Alexander Michael Anthony Simon Ashley Tal Mark David

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Nissim

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Nissim, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Nissim surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Nissim household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Nissim is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nissim is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nissim falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nissim is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Nissim, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

Meaning and origin of Nissim

The surname NISSIM is of Hebrew origin, derived from the word "nes" meaning "miracle" or "wonder." It is believed to have originated among Jewish communities in the Middle East and North Africa during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the NISSIM surname can be traced back to the 11th century, with references found in historical documents from Egypt and the Levant region. One notable mention is in a manuscript from the Cairo Geniza, a repository of Jewish texts, which mentions a scholar named Nissim ben Jacob al-Nahrawani.

In the 12th century, the NISSIM name appeared in records from the Jewish community of Spain, where it was sometimes spelled as "Nissim" or "Nissam." During this time, the Iberian Peninsula was a center of Jewish culture and learning, and the name may have been adopted by families of scholars or rabbis.

As Jewish communities migrated throughout Europe and the Mediterranean basin, the NISSIM surname spread to other regions. In Italy, for instance, there are records of a prominent Jewish family named NISSIM residing in Venice in the 15th century, including Judah Nissim, a renowned rabbi and philosopher.

One of the most famous individuals with the NISSIM surname was Moses ben Nissim (1345-1410), a renowned Talmudic scholar and philosopher from Spain. His seminal work, "Sefer Derekh Emunah" (The Book of the Path of Faith), was a influential treatise on Jewish philosophy and theology.

Another notable figure was David Nissim (1822-1892), an Italian Jewish scholar and writer who authored several works on Jewish history and literature. He was born in Ferrara and later served as a librarian in Rome.

In the 19th century, the NISSIM surname can be found among Jewish communities in the Ottoman Empire, particularly in regions such as modern-day Turkey, Greece, and the Balkans. One prominent individual from this era was Isaac Nissim Oliel (1824-1904), a renowned rabbi and scholar from Izmir, Turkey.

Today, the NISSIM surname is still prevalent among Jewish communities around the world, particularly those with roots in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean region. While the name has maintained its Hebrew origins, it has also been adopted by non-Jewish individuals in various countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Newsum

FAQ

Nissim surname: questions and answers

How common is the Nissim surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Nissim a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Nissim surname mean?